Our STEAMLabs Club, now on at the local Riverway Library MakerSpace catering for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is off to a flying start. We have hit the four-week mark just last Thursday and what have we experienced and learned so far?
1. Positive feedback from participants has validated the service offering with a consistent participation rate each week. Key observations are that with minor support, kids are engaging other kids, and parents are networking with others which is one of the core objectives of the club.
2. Participants have been aged between 7 to 18 years old and majority male. This is an area we would like to put some focus towards, come increasing female participation and that of adults with ASD.
3. 3D printing and CNC Laser engraving has been the popular experiences; however we have an awesome volunteer sewing expert supporting with mini projects (see photos). Members are keen to share their projects, be it digital, 3D print, Lego, Trains, Gems or Cosplay costume. See photos on these teenager's builds which are 3D printed and glued/bolted together Five Nights at Freddy's costume heads.
4. Some of these kids are super-quick learners, with one teenage boy nearly teaching himself the entire process of importing a 3D model, slicing and putting a print on in 15 minutes, without referring to any instructions or video!
5. Another teenager showed us his game development project where he is making his own assets in Blender (3D model design program), to import into his custom game, originally built on Unity and he is now developing on Unreal (Gaming development) Engine thanks to a corrupt hard drive!
6. The Library MakerSpace has a great selection of STEAM resources, providing beneficial grass-roots learning experiences for new-comers, parents and support workers.
7. Popularity of the club means we need to quickly work on building our support volunteer base, with thoughts to link with parents, local schools, academia and larger businesses that are looking to allow employees to support community learning.
Together we are closing the gap.
#STEAMLabs #Makeit
